Caloosahatchee and Okeechobee Conditions Report

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Updated: 2023-04-11 06:58:00 EDT

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Purpose

This webpage/report is intended to aggregate information from different agencies (i.e. USACE, SFWMD, FWC, USGS and NOAA) into one spot to help inform local government agencies and stakeholders on conditions within Lake Okeechobee, the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary and Coastal southwest Florida. The data provided here should be considered preliminary and are subject to change.

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USACE Data Summary

Daily discharge volume in Acre-Feet per day for the last 14-days. Data Source: USACE
Date	S77	S78	S79	S310	S351	S352	S354	L8	S308	S80	NthLake 1	WCA1	WCA2	WCA3	ENP 2
04-10	3463	3308	4576	58	0	0	0	264	524	1044	643	0	115	61	678.3467
04-09	3273	3379	4644	71	0	0	0	678	891	1042	585	0	-83	61	606.9418
04-08	3122	2359	3432	79	742	450	103	623	1240	1053	607	0	-103	67	719.9996
04-07	2737	2361	3165	95	2154	1299	448	649	2045	1027	611	0	-133	95	795.3715
04-06	2945	2327	3164	89	2069	1267	591	662	2487	1020	625	0	-107	119	856.8590
04-05	4082	2461	3802	-33	1928	1152	510	605	2390	1016	762	0	-135	123	866.7764
04-04	4842	3474	4911	-76	1912	1023	266	169	2733	1055	900	0	0	129	918.3466
04-03	4542	3451	5001	-34	1928	1408	559	488	2001	1576	962	0	0	226	1,084.9581
04-02	4013	3132	4410	5	1974	1371	250	474	1020	1065	1029	0	0	151	1,148.4291
04-01	2904	2322	3111	30	1490	1170	0	670	1111	775	904	0	0	246	1,271.4043
03-31	3291	2562	3628	31	1002	615	0	635	1972	924	1238	0	0	240	1,372.5612
03-30	4560	3492	5173	22	1484	676	125	668	1246	36	1384	0	0	274	1,350.7431
03-29	5389	3993	5428	181	1567	684	633	734	893	56	1037	0	0	204	1,158.3465
1 Includes discharges from Fisheating Creek, S71, S72, S84, S84X, S65E, and S65EX1
2 Estimated as S12s+(S333+S333N)-S356. If no data is present (i.e. -NR-) either S12s, S333s or S356 data is not available.

Download Discharge as .xlsx

Average and total net discharge volume in Acre-Feet per day for the last 7-days. Data Source: USACE
Statistic	S77	S78	S79	S310	S351	S352	S354	L8	S308	S80	NthLake	WCA1	WCA2	WCA3	ENP
Average	3495	2810	3956	40	1258	742	274	521	1758	1037	676	0	-64	94	777.5202
Total	24464	19669	27694	283	8805	5193	1918	3650	12309	7257	4733	0	-446	657	5,442.6417

Average and total net discharge volume in Acre-Feet per day for the last 14-days. Data Source: USACE
Statistic	S77	S78	S79	S310	S351	S352	S354	L8	S308	S80	NthLake	WCA1	WCA2	WCA3	ENP
Average	3782	2971	4188	40	1404	855	268	563	1581	899	868	0	-34	154	986.8526
Total	49162	38621	54445	518	18248	11117	3485	7319	20551	11689	11288	0	-446	1997	12,829.0840

Caloosahatchee Conditions Summary: Flow to the Caloosahatchee Estuary had a 7-day average of 1,995 cfs at S-79 with a 7-day average of 1,762 cfs (88%) coming from the lake at S-77. The 14-day moving average flow at S-79 is 2,121 cfs and has been in the stress flow envelope (2100 - 2600 cfs; RECOVER 2020) for 1 days.

Lake Flows: In the past 7 days the total outflow from Lake Okeechobee was 56,730 AF with 24,464 AF to the Caloosahatchee through S-77,12,309 AF through S-308 in Port Mayaca, 392 AF through S-310 in Clewiston, and 15,915 AF to the EAA through S-351, S-352, and S-354. The total net inflow to the Lake was 4,842 AF (4,733 AF from Fisheating Creek, S-71, S-72, S-84s, S-65EX, and S-65EX1) with a total backflow volume of 109 AF from S310. Water conservation areas received flows of 0 AF, -446 AF, and 657 AF at WCA1, WCA2, and WCA3, respectively. Everglades National Park received 5,443 AF.

Lake Okeechobee Level: 14.24 ft (Operational Management Band)

Lake Okeechobee Inflow: 324 cfs

Last Week: 14.47 ft

Lake Okeechobee Outflow: 2441 cfs

Weekly Rainfall Total:

WP Franklin ≥ 0.30”

Ortona ≥ 0.20”

Moore Haven ≥ 0.50”

Download Rainfall as .xlsx ACOE Daily Report 7-day Mean Discharge (cfs)

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Lake Okeechobee

Stage Elevation

Lake Okeechobee daily average stage elevation for water year 2023 (WY2023) relative to the last two water years (red line) relative to the Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (LORS) .

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Stage and recession rates this time for the current and last three water years
Date (Month-Day)	Water Year	Stage (ft, NGVD29)	7-Day Recession Rate (ft 7-d⁻¹)	30-Day Recession Rate (ft 30-d⁻¹) B
04-09	2020	11.55	-0.23	-0.87
04-10	2021	14.14	-0.18	-0.95
04-10	2022	13.53	-0.22	-0.73
04-10	2023	14.28 A	-0.19	-0.87
A Value estimated from average stage height across L001, L005, L006, LZ40, S133TW, S352HW & S4TW
B -0.5 ft 30-d⁻¹ maximum 30-day Recession Rate for HAB Deviation

• As of 04/10/2023 the mean stage elevation in Lake Okeechobee is within the Operational Low Sub- Management Band at a stage elevation of 14.28 feet (NGVD29).

Lake Okeechobee 7-day and 30-day water level recession/ascension rates during WY2023. Negative values indicate falling water levels (recession) and positive values indicate raising water level (ascension) during this 7-day period .

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Lake Okeechobee 7-day water level recession/ascension rates stop-light metric relative to the draft Snail Kite Performance Measure.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

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Regional Rainfall

Weekly (04/04 - 04/10) rainfall totals along the Caloosahatchee River
Mointoring Location 1	Weekly Rainfall Total (inches) 2
S79 (WP Franklin)	0.3
S78 (Ortona)	0.2
S77 (Moore Haven)	0.5
1 Data Source: SFWMD DBHYDRO (DBKEYS 16414,15495,16415) and USACE reports
2 Based on data from 04/04/2023 - 04/10/2023

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Relative Algae Condition

Sonde monitoring locations within Lake Okeechobee conducted by SFWMD.

Daily Chlorophyll, Phycocyanin,relative ratio of Phycocyanin (Phyco) relative to Phyco and Chlorophyll (Chl) and Turbidity within Lake Okeechobee monitored by SFWMD. Chlorophyll and Phycocyanin are plotted on log-scale. Thresholds of concern/risk identified for Chlorophyll (20 and 40 μg/L) and Phycocyanin (40 μg/L; Cotterill et al 2019 & Macário et al 2015).

Data are provisional and subject to change.

• Cotterill et al (2019) Phycocyanin sensors as an early warning system for cyanobacteria blooms concentrations: a case study in the Rotorua lakes. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 53:555–570.
• Macário et al (2015) New insights towards the establishment of phycocyanin concentration thresholds considering species-specific variability of bloom-forming cyanobacteria. Hydrobiologia 757:155–165.

Weekly mean water quality sonde Chlorophyll and Phycocyanin concentration at monitoring locations across Lake Okeechobee
Site	7-day Mean Chlorophyll Conc. (μg L⁻¹) 1	7-day Mean Phycocyanin Conc. (μg L⁻¹) 1	Green Algal Concern Category 2	Blue-green Algae Concern Category 3
L001	15	3	Min. Concern	Min. Concern
L005	13	66	Min. Concern	High Concern
L006	10	13	Min. Concern	Min. Concern
LZ40	54	39	High Concern	Min. Concern
POLESOUT1	29	4	Warning	Min. Concern
POLESOUT3	10	3	Min. Concern	Min. Concern
1 Based on data from 04/05/2023 - 04/11/2023
2 Chlorophyll Categories: Min. Concern: values < 20 μg L⁻¹ Warning: values ≥ 20μg L⁻¹ and <40 μg L⁻¹ High Concern: values ≥ 40 μg L⁻¹
3 Phycocyanin Categories: Min. Concern: values < 40 μg L⁻¹ High Concern: values ≥ 40 μg L⁻¹

Algae Coverage

Cyanobacteria Index for Lake Okeechobee for 2023-04-10 (Data Source: NOAA NCCOS)

Average daily windspeed and direction and cyanobacteria algal bloom coverage of Lake Okeechobee. Data from NOAA NCCOS HAB data explorer.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Blue-Green Algae Sampling Results

Blue-green Algae sampling results for the last 30-days for the 10 county area (Lee, Collier, Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe). Data from FDEP Blue-green algae dashboard

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Of the 17 samples collected, cyanobacteria was dominate in 2 samples, 0 samples had toxins present ranging from to - μg L⁻¹ (does not include non-detects).

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Caloosahatchee River Estuary

Discharge

Fort Myers Yacht Basin salinity (SCCF-RECON) and S79 discharge (SFWMD) data for the last six months.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Fort Myers Yacht Basin salinity (SCCF-RECON) and S79 discharge (SFWMD) data for the last last 30 days.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

S-77 (from Lake Okeechobee) and S-79 (to Tidal Basin) flow data along the C-43 and Caloosahatchee River. C-43 Basin Flow was calculated as the difference from S-77 and S-79.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Daily, 14-day moving average and 30-day moving average discharge for S-79 relative to the Northern Estuaries RECOVER performance measure and the established minimium flows and levels (MFLs) for the recent 6-month period.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Daily, 14-day moving average and 30-day moving average discharge for S-79 relative to the Northern Estuaries RECOVER performance measure and the established minimium flows and levels (MFLs) for the recent 30-day period.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

• As of Apr 10, discharges conditions are within the stress RECOVER salinity envelope.

Cumulative discharge for S-79 (to Tidal Basin) and S-77 (from Lake Okeechobee) for the last three Florida Water Years (May - April). Day of water year is analogous to day of year with Day 1 = May 1^st.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Chlorophyll, Phycocyanin & fDOM

Top: Daily dissolved organic matter (fluorescence DOM). Middle: Daily relative fluorescence Chlorophyll and Phycocyanin observed at the floating sensor bouy at S-79 monitoring by USGS. Bottom: The relative ratio of Phycocyanin (Phyco) relative to Phyco and Chlorophyll (Chl).

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Estuary Salinity

Daily average bottom salinity data for the last 14-days from sampling locations within the tidal Caloosahatchee River Estuary relative to oyster health (Sanibel, Shell Point and Cape Coral) and tape grass (Vallisneria americana) health (Ft. Myers only) conditions.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Red Tide Abundance

Red tide sampling results for the last 30-days from just south of Tampa Bay to the Florida Keys. Data from NOAA HABSOS Program.Data are provisional and subject to change.

Red tide sampling results for the last 30-days from just south of Tampa Bay to the Florida Keys. Data from NOAA HABSOS Program

Data are provisional and subject to change.

Count of samples within each abundance category within the greater Caloosahatchee River Estuary (see grey box on map)
Cell Abundance (Cells L⁻¹)	Number of Samples
not present/background (0-1,000)	6
very low (>1,000-10,000)	4
low (>10,000-100,000)	3
medium (>100,000-1,000,000)	---
high (>1,000,000)	---

Chlorophyll fluorescence for coastal southwest Florida for 2023-04-10 (Data Source: NOAA NCCOS)

Red Tide Forecast

Red Tide Prediction and Tracking for coastal Southwest Florida from FWC and USF link.

Upper and lower water column HAB (Red Tide) forecasted trajectories from Ocean Circulation Group at USF.

Statewide Gulf of Mexico coastal Red Tide forecast from FWC and USF.

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Charlotte Harbor

Discharge

Daily discharge into Charlotte Harbor from major rivers and creeks. Data source: USGS. Grey dashed lines between points indicate a potential data gap with values linearly interpolated.

Data are provisional and subject to change.

 

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